News
Vicky the Viking Anime Adapted into Live-Action Film
posted on by Egan Loo
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine and The Hollywood Reporter entertainment trade newspaper have reported that Vicke Viking, the German/Japanese animated comedy adventure series that was a hit in both Europe and Japan, will be adapted into a live-action film by German director Michael Herbig. Herbig directed four films based on his Bullyparade comedy show, and the films have been among the top grossing films in Germany. Herbig is casting the Vicky the Viking film before shooting begins in the summer, and the Constantin Film and Rat Pack production companies are planning for a 2009 release.
The Zuiyo Eizō animation studio based its 1974-1975 Chiisana Viking Vicke series on the Vicke Viking children's book by the Swedish author Runer Jonsson. Zuiyo Eizō would eventually become Nippon Animation, the studio that could continue the tradition of adapting Western children's books from Heidi (Alps no Shōjo Heidi) and Anne of Green Gables to Peter Pan (Peter Pan no Bōken) and Les Orphelins de Simitra (Porphy no Nagai Tabi). Chiisana Viking Vicke's story revolves around a plucky Viking boy who gets his father out of tight situations during their voyages. Manga creator Eiichiro Oda has said that Chiisana Viking Vicke asserted a strong influence on his One Piece pirate manga and anime.
Thank you to Daniel Zelter and Thorsten Meyer for the news tip.
